A Pepsi Mood
by AllzStar
Summary: An epiphany made by Pam in the break room one lunch hour leads to the revisiting of a tender moment she had shared with Jim way back in grade ten, the extraction of a note that had been folded away for years, and a long awaited Pepsi date.


**A PEPSI MOOD**

_AllzStar_

It was one of those chance days when Jim and Pam got to spend their entire lunch hour together in the break room that the epiphany was made. Jim had bought a Pepsi from the vending machine instead of Coke, which was weird because Jim hated Pepsi. "Why are you drinking Pepsi?" Pam had asked when she came into the room to see Jim gulping down the fizzy liquid. Jim only shrugged and said, "I'm in a Pepsi mood, Beesly."

Snap. It was as if someone had hit her. Pam stared, blankly, at the cold can in Jim's hand, her quivering hands clutching the coarse fabric of her skirt.

"Beesly?" Jim asked. "Are you okay?"

After a moment in which Jim really started to get worried, Pam slowly nodded. "Yeah," she said. "But I just realized something totally, completely insane. Something I can't believe I didn't realize before."

"Really?" Jim asked, cocking an eyebrow and leaning back in his chair. He liked the way Pam looked when she had discovered something. So happy, so proud of herself. Her eyes got all shiny. Kind of like when she looked up at him from her desk. "And what is that?"

"Remember all those years ago, like back in high school. Like, grade ten?" Pam asked. She didn't wait for Jim to answer; she knew he remembered. "My class and Roy's class took a trip to Lake Eerie and camped for a few nights."

"Yeah, I remember that trip," Jim said. "That was like, three months after I moved here. I was on the basketball team."

"Yeah." Pam sat down across from Jim, cupping her coffee mug in her hands and smiling at him, her eyes glowing. "I didn't know who you were. And remember that convenience store we stopped at on the way to the lake? I saw this guy with the basketball team. They were bugging him for getting a Pepsi instead of a Coke."

Jim's eyebrows pulled together as he realized what she was getting at. "That was me."

"Yeah!" Pam squealed, bringing her shoulders to her ears and smiling widely. "They asked you why you were drinking Pepsi, and you said 'I'm in a Pepsi mood'! I noticed you right away, because I thought that was such a great answer. But your friends began teasing you about other stuff, so I went in and bought a Pepsi, too. They all kinda looked at me funny and I said, 'What? I'm in a Pepsi mood'."

***

_I had seen him getting on the bus, and now he was sitting at the very back with a huge group of guys, leading the singing of "On The Road Again". I had turned around because someone's laugh was the loudest and rang throughout the whole bus. I could pick him out as the laugher easily, because his eyes were wet with tears of mirth. I wasn't too far from him, about four rows away, actually, so I could see them. Roy's arm tightened around me when I turned, almost as if he was forcing me back. But I wanted to look at this group of guys a little longer._

_I recognized most of them from the basketball team: Tim Schmidt, the captain, Shawn Ross, the tall one that always scored the most baskets, Adam Landon, the fat one who spent most of the game on the bench…. But I didn't recognize the one that was laughing, which was weird because Roy's popular status led me to know pretty much everyone in the school, most exclusively the basketball team. I assumed he was on the basketball team, because he was hanging out with them, and there was no way they would let some noob who wasn't even on the team so much as talk to them. _

"_Pam?" Roy asked. "Can you turn around? You're hurting my arm."_

_I immediately turned around, muttering an apology to Roy. I yearned to turn back around and look at him again. This new, unknown, and so good-looking boy had triggered a sense of adventure in me, and I forgot that my boyfriend's arm was slung tightly over my shoulder, that I even had a boyfriend at all. I needed to know this new kid. Talk to him. I wonder if he had this effect on all girls, or if it was just me who was looking for a bit of risk taking with my over-bearing boyfriend._

_***_

_There was enough complaining about hunger and the need to relieve oneself that the bus driver decided to stop at a little convenience store for a rest stop. I hurried off the bus, Roy calling my name, and waited outside for him to come down. Slowly, the bus emptied, and I was disappointed when Roy came down the steps before the new guy did. He steered me into the store and insisted on buying me a chocolate bar and a little teddy bear. I had money of my own, however, and I browsed the store, telling Roy I wanted to get a magazine or something for the rest of the trip. As he joined the long line-up to pay for the stuff, the basketball team made their entrance. I couldn't believe me luck. Now that Roy was out of the way, the challenge was getting to talk to this new guy without the rest of the team surrounding him._

_They were headed for the soda machines, and I adjusted my position so that I was facing them. I was suddenly very glad I had decided to put make-up on at the last minute that morning. I hadn't been planning on wearing make-up or doing my hair or even dressing nicely, but I was grateful that I had now. I knew I could be pretty when I tried, and I really wanted this new guy to notice that._

_I was focused on looking like I was casually leafing through the magazines so I couldn't really tell if he had seen me yet. The basketball team was clustered around the vending machines, all ten of them, but the new guy was taller than I had thought and towered over most of them. He was way up there with Shawn Ross, which meant he was at least six foot two. I thought of my own five foot four inches and decided that I would fit so snugly in that spot where his upper arm met his shoulder._

_Several male voices hooting and hollering drew my attention to my preposterous fantasies. The new guy was standing in the midst of the basketball team, an ice cold bottle of Pepsi clutched in his big hand. He was shrugging and smiling sheepishly. The team was calling out stuff about Pepsi and Coke and Loser and Lame and other crap. Most of them held Coke bottles, and I understood what was going on, to some extent. The new guy spread his palms and said in a gorgeous tenor voice, "I'm in a Pepsi mood, guys."_

_That was when he looked at me. From across the store, above the heads of his teammates, he lifted his gaze to meet mine. I nearly dropped the magazine I was holding, but never dared to look away. There was nothing intense about the way we looked at each-other, but it was incredible all the same. It was like a silent "I want you" from across a whole store, despite the yelling and clamouring that was going on, despite the basketball team and Roy standing in our way._

_I moved. I put down the magazine and finally broke the stare, pretending to be interested in the display of lip-gloss. I wondered if he would come over here. If he didn't, then it was my job to make the first move. I didn't know which would be better. I was pretty sure Roy would murder him if he came over to me, but I didn't really fancy going over to the basketball team alone. They knew me, but only as Roy's girl. But for once I wanted to be known as Pam. I didn't want to just be Roy's girl anymore. I had a name, and I wanted this new guy to know it. So I had to introduce myself._

_Just as the basketball team began migrating away from the soda machines, I darted in between my classmates towards them, all the way fishing change out of my purse. I shoved the coins in the slot, making a great deal of noise so I could get the team's attention. I certainly did; I had had to pretty much shove through them to get to the machines. As they were looking at me with little interest, I pressed the Pepsi button. The bottle slammed down into the delivery slot and I pulled it out. I ignored their disbelieving stares long enough to uncap the bottle and take a long sip. I capped it again and tossed my hair as sexily as I could manage. Not one of the team looked more stunned than the new guy, and it was to him that I said pointedly, "What? I'm in a Pepsi mood."_

_The team gasped and clapped the new guy on the back. Some of them had their mouths hanging open as they looked from me to him and back to me again. Slowly, they all migrated away, leaving us to stare at each-other in silence, both clutching our ice cold Pepsi bottles. Condensation from the bottle ran over my fingers as I uncapped it again and took a swig. When I had swallowed I capped the bottle and said, as casually as I could, "I haven't seen you before."_

"_I just moved here, about three months ago," he replied, copying me and taking a sip of Pepsi._

_My lips pulled up into what I thought to be my most radiant smile, one I hadn't made in ages. "That would be why. Where did you move from?"_

"_Seattle," he answered. He leaned with his elbow against the vending machine, crossing his ankles, a position which I had always considered to be flirtatious._

"_That's pretty far," I said stupidly. "Must be quite a change. Scranton is boring as hell."_

_He only smiled and took a drink of his Pepsi._

"_Do you like it here?" I asked him._

"'_S alright," he replied. _

_He smiled and my heart skipped a bit. My stomach flipped, another sensation I hadn't felt in so long. I no longer go butterflies when I looked at Roy. I was so used to being with him that being his girlfriend was the same as going to school. Routine, everyday, same ol same old. I was glad to find some fresh meat, someone I could talk to on the side. And my God, but he was cute._

_I smiled again, just watching him move for a moment, drinking in all the mannerisms I had time for. "What's your name?" I asked._

"_Jamie." He ran his hand through his floppy brown hair. My heart fluttered again. I had always had a thing for that kind of hair. Carefree, long, flips up at the ends. Roy's hair was curly and never did that. "What's yours?" he asked._

_I considered telling him that my name was Pam, but that nickname seemed so juvenile. So I said, "Pamela."_

_He just smirked playfully and took another sip of Pepsi._

"_What camping group are you in?" I asked. "Maybe we could hang out some time up at the lake."_

"_Group two," he replied. "And I don't see why we can't hang out somewhere other than the lake." He winked and I giggled. I actually giggled. Another thing I hadn't done in months. He leaned towards me, lowering his voice. "Between you and me, I think that boyfriend of yours needs a wake-up call."_

_My brow furrowed for half a second before I realized his wolfish grin was a flirtatious one. I returned the favour before placing my hand on his shoulder and pulling him towards me, close enough so that I could whisper in his ear. I rested my hand on the back of his neck, resisting the urge to play with the hair there, as I whispered, "I think that's an excellent idea."_

_We barely had time to pull away before Roy was barking my name. "Pam!" he called. "Come on, baby, let's get back on the bus!"_

"_I'm in group two as well," I whispered. _

"_It's like destiny, then," he replied, smiling that lopsided grin that had my heart racing out of control._

_I flashed one more smile at Jamie before flouncing off to join Roy. I brushed his hand with mine as I went, and I smiled to myself when I felt his gaze on me as I left the store. Roy tried to put his arm around me, but I stepped away so I wasn't even touching him. When we got on the bus I sat on the edge of my seat so Roy couldn't comfortably reach me. I waited for about ten minutes before the basketball team got on. When Jamie passed me he took my hand for half a second, and a piece of paper fell into my palm. He didn't look at me as he passed and went to the back of the bus again, but I knew that was so that he wouldn't attract Roy's attention._

_When Roy was busy talking to his friends that were in the seat in front of us, I unfolded the note behind my new teddy bear. His handwriting was neater than most guys, I noted, as I read:_

I owe you a Pepsi date. –Jamie

_I smiled and carefully folded the note before slipping it safely into the special pocket of my purse. There was the zippered pocket that I had in my purse that was reserved for special things, like the four-leaf clover I found and a picture of me and Roy in eighth grade. I placed the note in there and zipped up the pocket. For the rest of the bus ride I dozed, and all I saw behind my closed lids where his big green eyes, wide with mirth._

_***_

"Wow," said Jim. His Pepsi bottle wasn't even half empty; he had been so engrossed in the memories that now stood out so clearly in his mind. "I can't believe you remembered all that."

"I would have remembered as soon as I had heard your name but you changed it," Pam said. "I guess Jamie was a cooler rendition of James back then."

"I decided Jim sounded more professional, when I began job scouting," Jim replied, running a hand through his hair much like he had back in grade ten.

Pam's eyes suddenly widened again. "Hang on," she said, and darted from the room. When she came back she was clutching her purse. I was old, and out of style, but she had never had the heart or the money to get rid of it and get a new one.

Jim's eyebrows raised into perfect arches. "You still have that thing?" he asked in disbelief.

Pam was rummaging through the little "special" compartment of her purse, and she laughed when she pulled out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and gasped, dropping it on the table.

Jim's smile had faded. He reached across the table and pulled the note towards him and read:

_I owe you a Pepsi date. –Jamie_

The letters were faded, but still there.

"How many years ago was that…?" Jim asked, a smile creeping back into his face.

When he looked at Pam he was surprised to see her eyes were full of crystal tears. One of them slipped down her cheek as she stared at her best friend, her hands cupped over her mouth. She didn't say anything; she would start sobbing if she did.

Jim reached across the table and took one of her hands in his. "We never went on that Pepsi date, did we?"

She shook her head and squeezed Jim's hand.

"Well, then," said Jim, pushing his chair back. He went over to the vending machine and pushed some coins in the slot, then pressed a button. The bottle slid into the delivery slot with a clunk. Jim reached in and pulled it out, then walked back to his and Pam's table and placed the Pepsi bottle down in front of her.

A sob escaped Pam's mouth as she wrapped her fingers around it. Condensation ran over them, just like it had in grade ten. She met Jim's eyes with her watery gaze and forced her radiant smile onto her lips. Several tears spilled out over the process, but she wiped them away.

"Well," said Jim, holding his bottle up and touching it to Pam's. "Cheers, Beesly."

***

**Did you like it? Or not? Please let me know…R&R people!! :-)**


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